Kaz back, Reyes not yet

LHP Scott Kazmir rejoined the Rays on Tuesday and is now officially set to make his first start of the season on Sunday in Boston. Kazmir said he felt fine after his rehab start on Monday for Durham, had no issues at all with his left elbow and was "fully 100 percent" ready to go.

RHP Al Reyes made his second rehab appearance on Monday for Class A Vero, getting up to 88 mph with his fastball, and was expected to rejoin the Rays on Thursday, but the Rays now say he will make at least one more rehab appearance, and that will be Thursday in extended spring training.
Depending on how that goes, it could buy the Rays a little more time in making what looks to be a tough call in making room for Kazmir on the pitching staff.
Reliever Kurt Birkins, who was called up to replace Reyes, is expected to be sent to Triple-A Durham, but if Reyes isn't quite ready they could send Birkins down when they activate Kazmir, then make another move - which seems likely to involve either sending down Andy Sonnanstine or moving him to the bullpen, or sending down Matt Garza -  when Reyes is activated.

Also, Cliff Floyd is expected to start DHing in extended spring games on Thursday and INF Ben Zobrist has been able to play some despite still having pins in his fractured left thumb.

Otherwise, the Rays are getting ready to take on the Orioles in an unlikely battle of the AL East leaders.  The Rays lineup looks like this:
Iwamura, 2b
Crawford, lf
Upton, cf
Pena, 1b
Longoria, 3b
Gomes, dh
Navarro, c
Hinske, rf
Bartlett, ss
Hammel, p

Kazmir "more than likely" headed to DL

Manager Joe Maddon acknowledged Sunday morning that LHP Scott Kazmir seems likely to open the season on the disabled list, though also reiterated that there are no major issues and simply a matter of building arm strength so Kazmir can go through the entire season without any addition problems.

Maddon said it was "probably more than likely" Kazmir would be sidelined at the start of the season.
"It just depends on when Kaz comes out and does this next throwing event, but there's a pretty good chance that he would not be available at the beginning of the season,'' Maddon said. "There's no rush on this whole thing. We believe he's fine. We just want to make sure that the arm strength is there and that we take care of this right now so that there is no lingering effect during the season. We just have to not give you a specific date right now but I don't think it's going to be very long.''

Kazmir was to make his exhibition debut on Sunday, now he won't even be allowed to play catch as the Rays say he needs to build "arm strength.'' Maddon said they don't know when Kazmir will return to the mound.

Specifically, Maddon said "it's just something on the backside of his arm. It's not bad. It really is nto bad. We're being really overly cautious right now. He threw the other day and he threw really well actually. He came out of it and we were just not satisfied that the arm strength was built up and we want to make sure any kind of discomfort is gone out of there.''

Kazmir also said it was not a major concern and they wanted to take "a little bit more time" to make sure he was fully ready. "I'd rather miss just a couple starts early in the year than miss a couple months during the year,'' Kazmir said. "I just want to make sure we get it right.''

Kazmir said he expected it to take "just a couple more days longer to get where we need to be at.''

There was some good news on C Shawn Riggans, whose left hand was only bruised and not broken, meaning he should miss only a few days.
LHP Kurt Birkins' elbow problems are the result of an irriated ulnar nerve, though Birkins said it was not a major problem.
LF Carl Crawford continues to have tightness in his left hamstring but is expected to play Tuesday.
INF Andy Cannizaro remains slowed by back problems and could get back on the field by Tuesday.
RHP Chad Orvella remains sidelined with shoulder issues but is improving.

Kazmir set back, won't pitch Sunday

In what has to be considered a concerning development, LHP Scott Kazmir has been scratched from his scheduled exhibition debut on Sunday.
Rays manager Joe Maddon insisted Kazmir was "fine" and there was "nothing wrong with him,'' but said the Rays wanted to give him time to "build up more arm strength.''
Also, LF Carl Crawford was scratched from Saturday's game due to tightness in his legs, which Maddon also said was not serious.
After a Feb. 26 elbow strain, Kazmir had been working his way back into form and had made enough progress that the Rays were projecting him to pitch sometime the first week of the season. But that seems to be in jeopardy now, and the likelihood he could open the year on the disabled list would seem to have increased, though Maddon said it was still possible he could pitch in the first five or six games.
"We just want to try to build up a little more arm strength before we put him back out there,'' Maddon said. "He's fine. There's not a thing wrong with him. During the season he probably would have pitched but I just want to build up a little more arm strength with this whole thing.''
RHP James Shields will start Sunday for the Rays, and in all likelihood will be on the mound for the March 31 opener in Baltimore.
Maddon said Kazmir will be limited to playing catch for a few days then have to throw another bullpen session before the Rays would consider putting him in a game. "It's a couple days, it's not necessarily a setback,'' Maddon said.
The delay "is probably going to definitely" eliminate Kazmir from the March 31 opener, Maddon said.
Crawford came in early Saturday and told the trainers both his legs were tight. "C.C. just came up a little bit tight today,'' Maddon said. "I just think the field was kind of wet (Friday) and sometimes when you run on soft ground that can happen. So his legs were a little bit tight today and we said "No" . I just took him out of the lineup.'' Maddon said under regular season or playoff situation Crawford could have played.
Maddon said Crawford could return to action Sunday, but with the Rays off Monday it would seem reasonable they'd wait until Tuesday.

Baldelli must show something soon; Kazmir has

Manager Joe Maddon said there was "nothing new" on the status of OF Rocco Baldelli, but also said the team probably needs to know something about his availability by the end of this week.
Baldelli's legs have not recovered well since he last game appearance on Tuesday. Maddon said the Rays will continue to evaluate Baldelli on a daily basis, though he didn't play Saturday and "probably" won't on Sunday.
"It's not like we're not worried about it right now (but) over the course of the next week something's probably got to give in a positive direction to know that he's going to be able to to get out there with any kind of regularity,'' Maddon said. "You're looking to get nine innings, whether it's as a DH or an outfielder so I'd say the next week is going to be very vital or important to determine that.''
Maddon gave the same report as Baldelli did, that there has been no setbacks or new injury, but "it's just how he feels right now, and it hasn't felt as well as he would like it to feel to play in the game. That's just how it is.'
On the positive side, ace Scott Kazmir will move to the next phase of his recovery from an elbow strain on Monday when he throws a bullpen session. That news came after Kazmir had another impressive day playing catch Saturday with head athletic trainer Ron Porterfield.
"His instructions to Kaz were to throw easily, and that didn't happen,'' Maddon said. "He just feels very good. It's very loose and free. He feels good.''
Kazmir had made such good progress since being sidelined Feb. 26 that the Rays are mapping out a schedule that could have him pitch the March 31 opener. After the Monday bullpen session, he likely will throw another light bullpen, or a batting practice session, midweek and make his exhibition debut on March 14 or 15.

Kazmir looks good, Baldelli not so good

LHP Scott Kazmir looked good enough in a throwing session Thursday morning that manager Joe Maddon said he was now "pretty optimistic" Kazmir could make the opening day start on March 31.
Kazmir has been sidelined with an elbow strain but Maddon said the Rays have now mapped out a plan that could have Kazmir making his exhibition debut by the end of next week.
Kazmir played catch at a distance of about 90 feet on Thursday (and looked "very good,'' Maddon said) and assuming all remains well Kazmir would throw a bullpen session on Sunday or Monday, then "might be ready" for a spring game a few days after that.
"By doing that we could get him on task, or back on, possibly for the opening day of the season also, so we'll see how that all goes,'' Maddon said. "We'll be able to build back from the moment we know he can pitch in that game. ... From what I saw today I'm pretty optimistic. He looked normal and he was not holding back and I think it could be right about that time he's going to be ready to go.''

The news on OF Rocco Baldelli, however, wasn't good and potentially ominous, with Maddon saying Baldelli's next appearance (which was to be Thursday or Friday) may be delayed. Baldelli had two at-bats in Tuesday's rain-cancelled game - jogging to first after flying out - and apparently didn't respond well, and Maddon said a decision on whether he could play Fridya would be made in the morning, but it didn't sound good.
"He just wasn't up to speed and I've just got to make sure with (head athletic trainer Ron Porterfield) this being the vague situation that it is,'' Maddon said. "I'm just really not sure that he's going to be able to play (Friday) based on recovery after the last time out.''
Baldelli missed most of last season with hamstring injuries and the Rays have planned to take it slow throughout the spring.

Kazmir diagnosis: left elbow strain

(UPDATE 1:03 P.M.) Scott Kazmir, predictably, has a more accelerated return in mind, saying he felt markedly better after one day of treatment and there is still a good chance he would be ready to start the March 31 opener.
"I wouldn't say definitely, but that's what we're shooting for,'' he said. "And if anything changes hopefully it wouldn't be too far from that day.''
Kazmir also interpreted the results as good news, saying: "It could have been a lot worse.''

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LHP Scott Kazmir has inflammation and a left elbow strain, but will be sidelined "weeks not months,'' executive VP Andrew Friedman said Wednesday.
"Relatively speaking, it is good news,'' Friedman said.
Friedman said the Rays would not put a specific timetable on Kazmir's return, but they expect him "at most" to miss only a few regular-season starts. The Times reported Wednesday that Kazmir is unlikely to make his expected opening day start and expected to miss about two weeks.
"I expect it would be two weeks at least until he is throwing to a hitter,'' Friedman said.
Friedman said an MRI and examination by Dr. Koco Eaton showed that "the nerves, the tendons, the ligaments, everything's intact.''
The first step is to get inflammation out of the elbow, then Kazmir will start a throwing program. "We're trying not to set an artificial timeline because it's dependent on how Scotty feels,'' Friedman said. "And it's imperative that the communication's there on both sides to get him to a point where he can start that throwing program and get this behind us. We don't want this to pop up in April or May or June, and be sure that we get this behind us. So we're going to do anything and everything while we have this time in March to insure that it's behind us, and when he gets back out on the mound that this is behind us and we put him in a position to pitch 200-plus innings for us this year.''
Though Kazmir could start throwing soon, he will need to slowly build up his arm strength so any time off during spring training is likely to translate to a similar absence during the season.
Friedman wouldn't rule out Kazmir making his expected opening day start - "It's not clear,'' he said - but it seems unlikely given the cautious way the prized 24-year-old lefthander will be handled.
"The good thing is, again, we're not looking through April,'' Friedman said. "If it's a start or two, that could be the case, or it coudl be no missed starts. I don't know yet. ... It's so dependent on how quickly the inflammation goes out, and then how he feels, that there's no way to put an actual date on it.''
Kazmir walked off the mound Tuesday after feeling "a little discomfort" while warming up for an intrasquad game, a sensation he described like this: "It felt like it just jammed a little bit, kind of like a hyperextension."
Friedman said top draft pick LHP David Price, who was scratched from his intrasquad outing due to shoulder stiffness, felt "much better" but would not throw on Wednesday and was likely to see Dr. Eaton on Thursday.
Also INF Reid Brignac, the team's top shortstop prospect, will be sidelined four to seven days with a broken pinky toe on his right foot. He was hit by a Chris Mason pitch in Tuesday's intrasquad.

Kazmir headed for MRI on elbow

Ace LHP Scott Kazmir was headed for an MRI on his left elbow after feeling what "felt like a hyperextension" while warming up for Tuesday's intrasquad game but said he was confident it was not a serious injury.
Also, top draft pick David Price was scratched from his scheduled inning for precautionary reasons due to some stiffness in his left shoulder.
Kazmir looked somber and addmitted he was concerned.
"It was just a little scary because I never felt it before,'' Kazmir said. "But after I talked with (head athletic trainer Ron Porterfield) and everything and we did some of the strength tests I felt confident it would be all right. Just got to check it out just to make sure. ...
"I feel like I'll be all right. Just precautions. ... They said there's a couple minor things that could go on that are just really nothing.''
Though Kazmir, 24, spoke optimistically, he looked downcast and somber as he prepared to head out to see Dr. Koco Eaton. Kazmir said he "felt great" warming up in the bullpen but after what he thought was his third pitch warming up on the game mound felt "a little discomfort'' but definitely not a pop, which is typically an indication of a more severe problem. "It was just scary,'' he said. "I didn't want to test it, didn't want to just throw through it'' and "just wanted to stop it right there.''
He said he showed "great strength" on tests performed by Rays trainers and was encouraged that he didn't feel any further pain in the elbow, which was covered by a blue sleeve as he prepared to leave. He said he could flex the elbow in and out with no pain. "That's a good sign,'' he said. "It kinda feels like maybe I just tried to do a little too much to try to get warmed up.''
A few moments earlier outside the clubhouse, he described it like this: "It felt like it just jammed a little bit, kind of like a hyperextension. ... The thing is I don't feel anything now. If it was a torn ligament or something, you'd be hurting.''

- MARC TOPKIN

Talking baseball ...

Executive VP Andrew Friedman said last week he would "be surprised" if remaining arbitration cases with OF Jonny Gomes, LHP Scott Kazmir. 1B Carlos Pena and RHP Dan Wheeler weren't settled before the upcoming Friday (Jan. 18) date to exchange figures.
And he appears to be working hard at it.
Both Gomes and Wheeler said Sunday night they knew talks with their representatives had been ongoing through the weekend, but didn't know exactly where things stood. Kazmir and Pena didn't respond to messages.
Friedman and the players are operating under something of a deadline, given a team policy to break off negotiations - and proceed to a hearing - if there is no deal by the time figures are exchanged. The team's thinking behind that policy is to avoid settling at or near an artificial midpoint that is created by the filed figures - one by the team and one by the player. If a case proceeds, the arbitrator has to pick one of the salary figures.

Kazmir takes over major-league strikeout lead

Starter Scott Kazmir needed seven strikeouts tonight by Scott Kazmir to surpass the Twins' Johan Santana for the major-league lead, and when he left tonight's game after six innings pitched he had 10. Given that Santana is unlikely to pitch again this season, Kazmir is likely to finish the year as the 2007 season's strikeout king.

Promo time

The second full squad workout of the spring ended without any casualties on Friday, which is something of a success given the schedule featured live batting practice - with pitchers who have been in camp for a week throwing to hitters who just showed up.

Jonny Gomes had another big day, knocking a number of balls over the fence. J.P. Howell looked impressive on the mound.

The front office was busy too, announcing a promotional schedule that includes a team-record 37 giveaways. Highlights include a replica of Tropicana Field (April 7), Akinori Iwamura Thunderstix (June 14), Don Zimmer Turn Back the Clock bobblehead on June 23, a Carl Crawford Action Figure (July 29), a Scott Kazmir baseball card with a piece of a game-used jersey (Aug.4), figurines of Rocco Baldelli (Aug. 18) and Delmon Young (Aug. 25).  There are giveaways for children at all Sunday home games.

Ready to rock

The Devil Rays are set to open full squad workouts on Thursday morning at the Raymond A. Naimoli complex, 7901 30th Ave. N in St. Petersburg. Save for a few players delayed in the Dominican Republic by vias issues, the full group will be together and welcomed by manager Joe Maddon, who will deliver the keynote address.

High on the list of things to watch will be Japanese 3B Akinori Iwamura, who will participate in his first official major-league workout. Also, look for DH/OF Jonny Gomes, who reported in tremendous shape; CF Rocco Baldelli, who is fully healthy; LHP Scott Kazmir, whose left shoulder is a big key to what success the Rays will have; and RHP Seth McClung, who is making a big push for the closer's job.